I just received a 1 hour+ massage at one of those hoity-toidy spas as a gift from someone.
I have an IM in 2 1/2 weeks(provided I still do it). Should I use it before or after? How many days before or after? I’m leaning towards before because I figure it might not feel as good afterwards because I will in all probability be in pain. I’m looking for maximum pleasure first, race benefit 2nd.
FWIW, I’ve got one last short race rehearsal planned for the weekend before the race.
After a good massage i feel tired the next day, you might want to get it a few days before, or after to help recover,nothing like a good massage after a hard event, i try to get one every two weeks,good luck with your race
.
Maximum pleasure? You’d better make sure your massage giver is in sync with your desires. Some massage therapists will put you in pain the next day. I don’t EVER go back to them a 2nd time. Good ones, IMO, do body work without inducing pain. The massage industry comes in many flavors, and a general massage therapist may not know how to serve an ironman distance athlete. You may instead get the “fluff and buff”, a feel good massage without the real relaxation (and performance enhancing) benefits of a good athlete specific session.
What would I do? I’d take the pre-race massage ANY DAY OF THE WEEK over the post race day massage, if I had only one choice. But only if I knew the therapist in advance. A good massage can give you a multiple day boost in your athletic performance. Indeed, some days I literally float over the ground when I run or ride after a good body work session.
Your body is going to be full of tension in the days before a race. NONE of that is to your advantage. I’d do whatever I could to relax me in those days leading up to the race.
I’d schedule one before, and one after.
BTW, I get weekly body work year round. Without it I have lower back pain and sciatica that pretty much puts me out of business.
Actually, the good ones INFLICT pain, in my opinion…
I feel a lot better after a massage and I usually get them about 2-5 days before a race. The next day I am feeling good, but not 100%. I just have weekly appointments for Mondays and usually race on Sat (sometimes I reschedule for later in the week). I would say, save it for the day after the race if it is a onetime deal. Make sure you tell the massause what you have been doing so they can stretch you out too.
Monday before the race.
I would get it 3-4 days prior to race day. This way, any breaking down of tissue is healed by then. And it will release some tension that you may have during taper week.
FWIW, I have found that sports massage therapists give the best overall massage because they know more about the parts that really need specific work. My massage therapist used to be a track sprinter and knows the body from a sports angle. And as for pain, if you train hard, when you get a good deep-tissue massage, it’s going to hurt. Sometimes I’m in a great deal of pain during a massage. But I always feel much better afterwards. If it doesn’t hurt, your massage person probably didn’t hit the right parts or go deep enough. And yes, the next day you should have an easy workout and drink LOTS of fluid to rehydrate. A good massage requires your body to work moving blood around. You should be thirsty after your massage.
I agree, the good ones inflict pain. I would leave my best massage therapist sweating from the work that had just been performed as well as in some pain. However, the benefits lasted much longer from that massage than others I have experienced and currently experience on a regular basis. Damn corporate America for making me move.